Population by labor force status in Kenya
Kenya: Population by labor force status was 20.86 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
20.86 million people
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
18th
of 186 countries
All-time high
20.86 million people
in 2025
All-time low
11.57 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Kenya, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by labor force status in Kenya is 20.86 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Kenya peaked at 20.86 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.57 million people, in 1991.
Kenya ranks 18th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 11.57 million people | — |
| 1992 | 11.87 million people | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 12.15 million people | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 12.42 million people | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 12.69 million people | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 12.97 million people | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 13.24 million people | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 13.52 million people | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 13.81 million people | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 14.12 million people | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 14.44 million people | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 14.78 million people | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 15.13 million people | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 15.50 million people | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 15.88 million people | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 16.30 million people | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 16.74 million people | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 17.20 million people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 17.68 million people | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 18.15 million people | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 18.57 million people | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 18.95 million people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 19.27 million people | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 19.55 million people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 19.78 million people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 19.99 million people | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 20.18 million people | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 20.31 million people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 20.41 million people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 20.51 million people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 20.59 million people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 20.65 million people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 20.72 million people | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 20.79 million people | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 20.86 million people | +0.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 20.86 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 5.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 20.86 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.33 million people, 3.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.69 million people | 11.57 million people | 13.81 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 15.78 million people | 14.12 million people | 17.68 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.52 million people | 18.15 million people | 20.41 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.69 million people | 20.51 million people | 20.86 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More work & labour data for Kenya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0073 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2281 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,185 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 51,282 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 53,727 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,468 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 104,196 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in Kenya?
- Population by labor force status in Kenya was 20.86 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 20.86 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.57 million people in 1991.
- How does Kenya rank for population by labor force status?
- Kenya ranks 18th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).